imes your father used to say: 'It is such a good
thing to rise in the morning, and to know that your work is waiting for
you; and while I am filing, I file away all useless splinters out of my
head; and when I hammer, I knock on the head all sad thoughts, and away
they fly!'"

These were his mother's words, and, in recalling them at this moment,
she seemed to say them once more: "If I could only recall thus every
word she ever said to me!"

So Lenz began to work busily.

Franzl was standing outside with Kathrine, saying: "I am so glad that
you were the first person to bring food here, it is a good omen--for
the person who gives you the first morsel of food in such a case, is
sure to----, but I won't say it out; we must not forestall such
matters. Come back in the evening, for it must be you who say good
night to him; and you must say it three times over, and then it has
effect. Hush! what is that? Our Heavenly Father in the Seventh Heaven
above! I declare he is at work on the day of the funeral! No one knows
that young man thoroughly, not even I, who have been with him from his
childhood; he has singular ideas which no one can understand, but the
kindest heart in the world. But don't tell any one that he is working
to-day, for it might bring him into bad odour. Do you hear? Come back
for the dishes to-night, and then take care to speak to him properly;
you can talk well enough generally."

Franzl was interrupted by Lenz opening the door, and saying: "Franzl,
if any visitor comes, say that I can see no one but Pilgrim. So, you
are not gone yet, Kathrine?"

"I am just going," said she, and ran hastily down the hill. Lenz went
back into the room, and worked on busily, while Franzl was in a state
of incessant perplexity at the strange young man, who had been first
crying, as if his heart would break, and was now hard at work. It was
certainly not from hardheartedness, nor from avarice, so what could be
the reason?

"My old head is not wise enough to find out," said Franzl, turning to
ask her old mistress what she was to think about it; but she clasped
her hands in sorrow, on suddenly remembering that the mother was dead.

Franzl's heart sunk when she saw visitors arrive; the schoolmaster,
some of the choir, and various others. She dismissed them all, with a
sorrowful face, and would gladly have stopped their ears if she could,
that they might not hear Lenz at work. She looked out anxiously for
Pilgrim, who had gr